FOOTBALL
Fox out in Carolina
John Fox will not return as coach of the Carolina Panthers next season, the NFL’s biggest losers announced on Friday, parting ways with Fox after nine years. Entering his final game today against the Atlanta Falcons, Fox had compiled a 78-73 overall record in nine campaigns, including a run to the 2004 Super Bowl where the Panthers lost 32-29 to New England. However, Fox was not given a contract extension beyond today’s season-ending game and the misery of the current 2-13 campaign, assured of being the NFL’s worst mark this season, was too much for Panthers owner Jerry Richardson. “I appreciate everything he has done for us over the last nine years, but as happens in this business, it is time for both sides to move in different directions,” Richardson said. Fox’s staff of assistant coaches also will not have their contracts renewed, the club announced. “I have many great memories,” Fox said. “I particularly want to thank the players for their efforts throughout the years.”
SOCCER
Player quits over taunts
The team director of Egyptian club Zamalek says the side’s top goalscorer, Mahmoud Abdel Razek, is quitting international soccer because of racist taunts from rival fans during a recent league match. Ibrahim Hassan says Abdel Razak, an attacking midfielder better known as Shikabala, informed the Egyptian Football Association of his resignation from the national team on Friday, according to Egypt’s official MENA news agency. Shikabala, an Egyptian of Nubian origin, was jeered by fans from rival club Ahly as he walked off the pitch during the second half of a goaless draw in the Cairo derby on Thursday. Zamalek has filed a complaint with the Egyptian Football Association about what it perceived as “racist” taunts. Hassan urged the association to intervene to end the dispute.
ICE HOCKEY
Russians win Spengler
Maxim Sushinsky scored twice on Friday to help SKA St Petersburg beat a Canadian team coached by former NHL great Mark Messier 4-3 in the final of the Spengler Cup. Alexei Yashin and Maxim Afinogenov scored in the second period to give the Russian club a 3-1 win, before a frantic finish with three goals in the last 90 seconds. Brett McLean made it 3-2 with a power-play goal at 18 minutes, 38 seconds, into the third, but Sushinskiy scored his second of the game into an empty net just 19 seconds later. Josh Holden then deflected in a shot with 2 seconds left on the clock. Messier’s team consisted mainly of Canadian players based in Europe. The Spengler Cup was first held in 1923, and is the world’s oldest pro hockey tournament.
BASEBALL
Orioles sign Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee, a 35-year-old first baseman for the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves last season, has agreed to terms on a one-year MLB contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail confirmed the verbal free agent agreement on Friday, adding a power hitter to the Orioles lineup after Baltimore lost free agent slugger Ty Willingham to Colorado. Lee, who had 19 home runs and hit .260, while batting in 80 runs over 148 games last season, joins an Orioles team that has not had a winning season since 1997 and not reached a World Series since winning in 1983. The deal is incomplete pending Lee passing a physical exam. Lee, set for his American League debut after 14 seasons with National League clubs, has 312 career homers and a .282 lifetime batting average.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
Francesco Bagnaia yesterday profited from a mistake by rookie Pedro Acosta to win the Japan MotoGP sprint and close the gap on overall championship leader, Jorge Martin. Spaniard Acosta crashed with four laps to go while leading the field at Motegi, allowing defending world champion Bagnaia to take first ahead of Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez. Spain’s Martin finished fourth and saw his overall lead over Italian Bagnaia in the championship standings cut to 15 points. “I am very happy because with these conditions, it’s not very easy to win and gain points,” Bagnaia said after a sprint race that took place under
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